Siren Song
by OfWickedLies
Summary: Luna Sullivan just likes to have fun. She never meant to get involved with him, or anything in his world. Edward Cullen was married, but Luna's blood did something to him. He was drunk on her, and he wasn't letting go. ECxOC.
1. Drunk

**Disclaimer: I don't own Stephenie Meyer's characters. I only own mine :)  
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**Wanted to let you guys know that this is set post BD, but Nessie doesn't exist. So, you'll probably find out later how in the world BD applies to this if Nessie doesn't exist, but if not, let's just go with the flow, 'kay? Review?**

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><p>A series of loud, high pitched screams filled the air of the building. Luna Sullivan's eyes scanned the halls whenever the strobe lights would illuminate the darkness around her. Her heart was pounding heavily in her chest and she eased down one of the corridors. It made it worse hearing the poor saps that were lost inside the maze screaming, because when something actually scared <em>her<em>, their screams usually accompanied it and freaked her out even more.

"Such a pretty little thing," a dark, deep, and undeniably male voice said as a hand latched onto her wrist.

Luna slowly turned around, gray eyes wide as the strobe lights flickered and very briefly showed the face of a man whose skin had been nearly ripped to shreds. His eyes were dead and his teeth jagged. She inhaled sharply before letting out an earsplitting scream, punching the man and sprinting away into the darkness.

Almost immediately, she hit a wall and she silently cursed herself for not grabbing one of those stupid glow sticks they were offering at the entrance of the Shriek Shack. _Horrible name for a club_, she thought as she felt up the wall to make sure it was actually a wall and not some other guy who looked absolutely terrifying.

She stood up and her eyes trained for any source of light. The strobe lights that flickered agonizing slowly only gave her temporary relief. It made it scar because, every time she'd think she'd see something coming at her, the light would flick off. And when it flicked back on, there would be no one there. "I'm going to slaughter Chelsea as soon as I find her," Luna hissed under her breath.

She had to give it to the owner of the club, though. He knew how to work the Halloween thing. All of this scary shit to get to what people were actually there for. She tucked her jet black hair behind her slightly pointed ears and marched on. She was nearing the exit, she knew that much, and felt the excitement bubble in her veins when she heard the pulse of the music at the end of the hall.

Before she got there, the lights flickered, revealing a door. Her face erupted in flames, thankful that the light flickered before she had a chance to embarrass herself by running into yet _another_ wall or door. Even though no one was actually around her, it didn't say much. She felt like someone was following her the second she stepped into the maze of hallways, corridors, and dead ends. Of course, the entrance of the club had been transformed from the usual lounge area, VIP, and who-knows-what-the-hell-goes-on-behind-that-door areas into a terrifying, pulse racing Haunted House.

And it wasn't Halloween yet. On the other hand, Seattle had a way of milking all the holidays well in advance. It was only October 21st, but people were already packing into the Shack.

Luna gnawed on her teeth as she shoved the door open and the shoved it closed. At least, this way she'd know if the person was deliberately following her and not just another person heading to the Shack. She jogged down the hallway and she let out a shaky breath as her hands wrapped around the cold, steel handle of the heavy duty, vault-like door. She pulled and was immediately enveloped by the smell of the fake blood you found at most haunted houses, accompanied by the somewhat rainy scent of the mist that fell from the ceiling somehow.

Luna quirked a dark eyebrow. _This place definitely has style_, she thought, impressed, as she stared down at the dance floor. The door had led her to the official entrance of the actual club – a long set of steel platforms welded together above the dance floor, but only suspended over the sides of the floor and not the center of it. _Yeah, that way, if it falls, it only crushes the bartenders!_ But, hey, she was complaining. Some of the areas were carpeted and plush couches were added, and long, gorgeous tapestries sectioned each area off as if they were top-notch VIP areas.

Luna descended the long flight of stairs that led from the suspended platforms to the dance floor. At the bottom of the stairs were two really buff looking guys in tight black tee shirts, black jeans, and steel toed boots. She flashed them a grin and they returned it. One of them slid a VIP-pass around her neck, and the other handed her two small bottles of greenish and blueish goo. "What's this?," she asked, holding up the bottles.

The dark skinned bouncer flashed her a slow smile. "Blacklights on at midnight. The paint glows in the dark." He shrugged his shoulders. "Ladies like getting dirty."

Luna laughed and nodded her head. "Right. Have you seen a girl with red hair, about 5'10" and in a very tight neon green dress?"

The other bouncer, a sun-kissed man in his early twenties, grinned. "You're with the Kane party?"

Luna nodded enthusiastically, part of her just wishing this guy would stop trying to play smooth and tell her where the hell Chelsea went. "Yup," was all she said as her body bobbed to the fast paced beat pounding from unseen speakers.

Her jerked his thumb over his shoulders and Luna nodded a jerky bob in thanks, seeing a dark hallway lined with fluorescent orange strips of light. Unlike the neon-color-drenched dance floor, the area that Chelsea and the rest of Luna's friends were was kind of relaxed. The walls were covered with black fabric, and large canvas prints of Seattle's night scene hung on the walls.

A medium sized chandelier hung from the ceiling, drenching everyone with a dim golden light. Crème colored sofas formed a half-square, and a glass coffee table sat in the middle. Luna plopped down on the sofa next to Chelsea and their other best friend, Mason. "I love having you guys as friends," she said, draping her arms around both of them.

Chelsea snickered, swirling the little umbrella's toothpick around in her glass. Luna didn't have to wonder if it was a virgin drink. It wasn't. Chelsea's dad owned the club, and made an exception for his 'baby girl' and her friends. "Please, your eighteenth birthday party was just as wild. If not wilder." Chelsea's emerald green eyes sparkled in delight of the memories.

Mason laughed, sitting up a little on the sofa, his dark brown eyes obviously recalling the same memories. "Yeah, if I remember right, by the end of the night, half of us were running naked around that bonfire."

Luna snickered and grabbed the glass Mason had in his hands. Without bothering to ask what he'd ordered, she threw back the remaining contents. Her eyes immediately watered and her throat burned. She licked her lips at the tingly sensation that ran down her throat. "What was that?"

Mason blinked furiously. "Uh, something involving screaming and a hooker. I don't...I can't remember," Mason smacked his face, as if wiping the confusion and shot to his feet, holding out his hands. "May I have this dance, lovely ladies?," he asked, his words slightly slurred but his body language didn't give away that he was probably pissed off his face.

Chelsea and Luna grinned, linking hands with the handsome blonde boy, and let him guide them down the hallway and into the sea of bodies.

X

Edward Cullen had no idea what he was doing here. All he knew was that Emmett, Jasper, and the wolves, had thought it a good idea to have a "guys' night", since Alice had all but forced their mates into a girls' night. He grimaced, looking up at the brightly lit sign hanging off the very plain looking red-brick building. "The Shriek Shack?," he said, skepticism thick in his tone.

Paul laughed, nodding his head. "It's an awesome place. Just not at Halloween. Front entrance leads you straight into a haunted house. Which is why we're going around back. My mom's old friends with the guy that runs this place if you catch my drift."

A few of the guys grimaced at the mental image of Paul's mom doing anything even remotely sexual, and quickly trained their thoughts on the building beside them. "It doesn't look like much," Emmett muttered.

"Would you just trust me, man?," Paul asked, jumping over the small chain-link fence that closed off the small alleyway between the Shriek Shack and the empty building beside it.

Edward didn't comment. Things were just starting to become friendly between his family and the wolves from La Push. Trust wasn't exactly what he'd call what they had. Still, he hopped the fence and followed them through the alleyway and to a very thick looking steel door. Paul banged on it three times and the door opened to reveal a man in his early forties.

Edward eyed the man with a grimace on his face as he led them threw a door and onto the dance floor. Paul passed them all VIP passes. "Don't say say I never did anything for you, kid," the man told Paul.

He grinned before disappearing into the crowd. Edward's eyebrows jerked up at some of the thoughts of the hundred plus people in the room. Most were typical, but some...some were clearly not sober. He tuned out the voices and felt the relaxing sensation of mist dancing across his skin.

"Have some fun," Emmett advised before disappearing into the ocean of people.

Edward grimaced but followed his brother into the crowd nonetheless. It wasn't his cup of tea at all, but he needed a little fun in his life, right? A little excitement? He let out a sigh and let a blue-and-blonde haired woman with a very revealing, tiny, black dress on pull him to her.

After having endured Bella's scent for three years before she'd become immortal, it was nothing to be surrounded by other humans. He didn't speak as the woman attempted to flirt with him. He didn't really move, and just kind of swayed in his spot and let her dance around him. When he got bored, he twirled her away from him and headed to sit at the bar and watch. This really wasn't his idea of a good time at all.

Two songs – two very long songs – later, he stood and was about leave them to go back home when a dark haired girl stumbled to the bar stool next to him. He inhaled her scent and found his body was moving back to the seat next to her. "I want a Screaming Hooker," she said, smacking a bill onto the counter and sliding it to the very amused looking bartender. The girl laughed at the man's expression and propped her head up on her elbows. "I've no clue what's in that drink, but my friend had one and well, let's just say it's a lot easier to be social."

The bartender chuckled, mixing liquids into a tall glass. The girl bobbed her head to the fast paced remix of some kind of rap song. Her head snapped in his direction and she flashed him a devilish smile, leaning toward him. "Hello, handsome!"

"Hello," Edward said, trying not to laugh at the tipsy girl.

She smiled and grabbed the glass the bartender slid across the counter. The girl licked her lips before downing the entire glass. She hissed, blinking furiously before turning to him and grabbing his hand. She grinned at him, jerking her thumb in the direction of the dance floor. "Come dance with me?," she asked, her storm gray eyes piercing his amber ones.

"I'm not that great a dancer when it comes to that," Edward said, his eyes on a group of people swaying and twirling and jumping around, and feeling a little dizzy as the girl's fingers pushed the sleeve of his jacket up – her skin sliding smoothly across his wrist. He was more than a little shocked.

She gave him a mischievous smirk before attempting to pull him toward the floor. "I'll teach you," she said, noticing that he didn't budge from his spot. "I'm Luna, by the way," she said, wishing her head would stop swimming. _Maybe it wasn't a good idea to have that fourth drink..._

"Edward," he told her, allowing her to yank him onto the floor.

The music stopped automatically, and so did the mist. Edward looked at the girl, noticing how her shirt clung to her curves in a way that had the venom in him boiling. He halted those thoughts as soon as they'd come, thinking of the beautiful wife he had back in Forks.

The lights switched off, throwing the entire room into darkness. A few excited yells ensued before the room was flooded with black light. To most people in the room, only the glow sticks and glowing bracelets and necklaces – or the occasional shirt or tattoo – were visible.

Luna smiled up at him, yanking his jacket off and discarding it somewhere in the crowd. "This is the gonna be the best part," she said enthusiastically, eyes dancing with excitement as bass pulsed through the club and through the bodies of the people in it. And then all hell seemed to break loose as a myriad of sounds blasted from the unseen speakers before Luna doused him in fluorescent paint. Lines of blue and green paint soaked his skin and hair and she grinned up at him, sliding a pair of shades onto his face before pushing a pair on her face. "You're gonna need 'em," she said, passing him the small bottle of blue liquid.

Luna held out her hands, quirking an eyebrow. Edward found himself grinning widely before squeezing the paint onto her shirt. She grinned, smashing her body against his and emptying the contents of both of their bottles over them before locking her arms around his neck. He was floored to say the least. Bella never did this. Ever.

Bella was just a bundle of nerves, always fretting over things and wanting to be with him all the time. But this girl – Luna – she was all about having a good time. "Are you going to teach me to dance or what?" Edward asked her, giving her a crooked smile.

She snapped her eyes to his before turning around so that her ass was pressed against the front of his jeans. "You just take your hands," she said, grabbing his hands and putting around her.

Edward swallowed hard, feeling the toned muscle of her abdomen against the heel of his hands, and the button of her jeans against his palms. _God_, he thought, _what the hell?_ It was like he'd somehow switched brains with Emmett...or one of the wolves. It wasn't like him to be ruled by hormones...

Luna jerked him closer, giving him a funny look. "You gotta loosen up, Edward," she told him, "just go with it. It's just dancing." Her hands went up to lock behind his neck and she drew his head down next to hers. "Just go with it. Your friends seemed to have gotten the hang of it," she whispered, her eyes shooting to the wolves who were grinding in the middle of a circle of people.

Edward felt her pulse against his jaw and he couldn't help the low growl that escaped him, his nose skimming her neck. She giggled, complimenting him on his ability to let loose quickly. His hands tightened around her hips and pulled the lower half of her body against his.

Luna's hips rolled and rocked and swayed, causing his body to react in a way that almost made him feel guilty. Almost. But her scent was so strong in the air, the blood so close to his lips – how could he feel guilty when he was so close to ecstasy? So close to tasting the blood that rivaled the scent Bella had before she was turned?

All too soon, the song ended and she pulled away from him. Luna swayed side to side, smirking as she tip toed to press her lips against his in a heated kiss that tasted like seven types of alcohol – one of which had a little spice in it.

Edward groaned, deepening the kiss and pulling her body to him. She laughed against his lips and slipped her tongue into his mouth, skimming it over his teeth and tongue – exploring his mouth just like his tongue did hers. He was only half aware of the stunned looks his brothers and the wolves gave him, but he couldn't pull away. Luna had him captivated, locked in whatever she wanted him to do.

The taste of her blood spilled onto his tongue and she pulled back, laughing. "Sorry. I think I – or you – bit my lip." She ran her tongue over her bottom lip before disappearing.

Edward felt the warm liquid slide down his throat, tasting of cinnamon and chocolate, with something else underneath it. Something...fruity. He licked his lips, feeling kind light headed as he made his way toward one of the VIP areas.

He collapsed onto the couch and immediately felt the rush of wind in the air that meant his brothers had joined him. "Are you all right, man?," Emmett asked, popping Edward on the face.

He licked his lips and laughed, feeling a little weightless. "Great, Em, I'm glad I came," he said, his words slurred.

His brother's faces froze with shock. "Are you drunk?" Jasper asked incredulous, taking off the paint-splattered sunglasses from Edward's face.

Edward looked up at him quizzically, his face twisting into a comical expression as Jasper sat on the couch next to him. "Emmett," Jasper said, "his pupils are dilated."

"So?"

"I mean, more so than normal when there is minimal light. He's drunk."


	2. Fuzzy Pink Finger Cuffs

He was back in Forks by dawn, and he automatically heard Alice's voice inside his head. _How could you, Edward? What's Bella going to think when she finds out you were kissing another woman?_ He ignored Alice's thoughts for a moment as he slipped in through the front door and to the office where she sat.

"Alice," he greeted, inclining his head in a nod.

Her black eyes narrowed on him. _Care to explain yourself?_

Actually, he didn't. Whatever hold Luna had had on him was gone, and he chalked it up to the fact that her blood was so enticing. But Alice deserved an explanation, especially given that he was starting to come down off his blood high and was feeling incredibly guilty. He grabbed a pen from the desk and grabbed the notepad that Carlisle kept on his desk. One word: _singer_, scrawled in his elegant handwriting.

Alice's jaw dropped, making it clear that she hadn't seen that one coming. _How is that possible? I thought..._

Edward shrugged his shoulders, ripping the piece of paper up and tossing it into the trash. He went up the stairs to the bathroom after grabbing a pair of boxers, slacks, and a black long sleeved shirt. In the shower, he washed off the paint and scrubbed himself and his hair clean so that Luna's scent didn't linger on him. No need for Bella to worry over something that didn't matter.

He got out, dressed, and went down the stairs to the living room. Bella smiled up at him as he took his seat beside her. Bella absently moved to lean against the curve of his body, and he let his arms fall around her, cradling her to his chest. "How was your night of masculine bonding?," Bella asked lightly, giving him a small smile.

He gave her a small smile in return, hoping she wouldn't catch on. "It was interesting," he mused, tucking a lock of her mahogany hair behind her ears, "but not exactly my cup of tea."

Bella raised an eyebrow at him. "Where did they take you? I heard it was Paul's idea. I can't imagine it was a very quiet place," she said with a laugh.

"It wasn't. What sort of torture did my sister put you through?" Edward was eager to direct the topic away from his night. Emmett and Jasper gave him looks, at the same time Alice said in a quiet, somewhat insulted voice upstairs, "_I heard that_."

Bella made face, letting out a sigh. "Lots of clothes. Lots and lots of clothes." Bella frowned. "Most of which are still lying around our house. I was too lazy to pick them up."

"Too lazy?," he inquired. "You're an immortal who doesn't sleep and can literally move faster than the blink of an eye...and you were too lazy?"

"Shut up," Bella told him, crossing her arms over chest as she leaned back against him. Edward smiled, letting his head rest on top of hers. What had he been worried about in the first place?

X

Sunlight streamed into the medium sized apartment, dancing across the eyelids of the three unconscious bodies that lay on the floor of the living room. Luna was the first to wake up – her eyes lids snapping open and squeezing shut against the harsh light of day. She groaned as she sat up, cradling her head in her hands. She had a headache that rang in her ears, thudded in her temples, and pulsed behind her eyeballs. Smacking her somewhat hard ebony locks away from her face, she eased into a standing position, her joints popping in protest.

She felt gross, as if she'd spent the night rolling around in mud and the mud had dried and caked her hair up and crusted across her body. She quietly padded down the small hallway to her bathroom.

Her apartment wasn't extravagant like Chelsea's or Mason's, but it suit her well. It had only one bedroom, but the bedroom was quite large – the wall her bed sat against resembling that of exterior of the building her apartment was in which was red brick. The walls had been painted over with some kind of glaze that made the brick wall smooth to the touch instead of rough and gritty.

The other walls of her bedroom were a red the color of autumn leaves, with canvas prints and photographs of various road trips she'd taken with her friends, trips with her school, and a few with her family. In the middle sat a queen sized, four poster bed. The covers were an earthy golden color, again reminding her of her favorite season: autumn. The scheme of the room being accented by the dark hardwood flooring.

The living room and adjoining kitchen, however, were the same color as they had been when she moved – white. The floors were a slightly lighter color hardwood than in her bedroom, and there were two gray arm chairs in front of a round, glass coffee table. Against the wall was a navy blue couch with red and black throw pillows.

By far, though, Luna's favorite room was the bathroom. Because Luna liked to indulge in doing absolutely nothing but relaxing from time to time, her parents made sure it was as relaxing of an atmosphere as they could get. While there was a shower with frosted glass doors and a series of shower heads that shot delightful streams of water at your body, the jacuzzi styled bath tub had been the kicker.

It was big enough to fit two people in the bath, with a raised edge that could be used as a seat or a step. There was a setting that shot massaging jet streams of water at the areas Luna found she kept tension – her lower back, her shoulder blades, and her neck.

Luna shook off the grogginess and locked the bathroom door behind her so her friends wouldn't come barging in. As much as she'd like to take a nice, long soak in the tub, she knew the shower was the more reasonable choice. She stripped and hopped into the shower, making sure the frosted glass doors were shut firmly behind her before turning the hot and cold water handles under each of the shower heads.

From the wall opposite the doors, a stream of scalding hot water kneaded her sore abdomen. From the wall that typically had a shower head, lukewarm water fell down on her like the downpour of a summer rain. She exhaled in delight before grabbing the wash cloth from it's place on the bar, and the bar of soap. After lathering up the cloth, she proceeded to scrub her body clean.

She grabbed the shampoo and all but emptied half the bottle onto her head. Eyes pinched close, her slender, caramel colored fingers worked a gentle lather through her long dark locks. After having thoroughly rinsed her hair, she stood in the shower and let the water fall over her.

She licked her dry lips and almost flinched at the soreness of her bottom lip. She could only remember bits and pieces from last night – dancing all over Chelsea and Mason, grinding against some man that had to be twice her age, and some guy that she'd poured paint all over. What was his name?

His name escaped her, and so did most of his physical features, but her lips tingled at a memory just on the tip of consciousness. And it slipped away, making Luna's face twist in distaste. The only bad things about getting drunk were not remember a lot of what went on, and the inevitable headache that resulted the next morning.

Shrugging and figuring it must not have been important, she shut the water off and stepped out of the shower, wrapping a big, fluffy, black towel tightly around her body. She combed through her damp hair, regretting the fact that it would take at least three hours to straighten the natural waves her long hair had.

She brushed her teeth, flossed, rinsed her mouth out, and opened up the bathroom door. She hurried through the living room, clutching her towel tightly, and into her bedroom. Not even a second after shutting her door, she heard the booming laughter that belonged to Mason. "Nothing we haven't seen before, Luna!," he shouted.

Rolling her gray eyes at his silliness, she shuffled on over to her dresser to pull a pair of underwear and a bra from it. Once those were on, she ditched her towel and yanked a pair of black shorts from the bottom drawer, cursing as her fist hit her in the forehead and knocked her to the floor. She slammed the drawer shut before pulling on the shorts. She all but ran to the closet, throwing open the doors and walking inside. She pulled out a white midriff tee shirt that hung loosely and sported a big sketch-style red heart on the center of it.

After finished dressing, she finally stumbled out of her room to find that Mason and Chelsea were sipping coffee with their eyes trained on the television. "Good morning, sunshines," she said with mock cheerfulness as she plopped down on one of the armchairs.

Chelsea let out a whistle. "You look nice. Hooking up with Mr. Sexy from the club today?" Upon seeing Luna's look of confusion, she giggled. "Oh, wow, that's a first."

Mason rolled his eyes. "She means it's a first you don't remember something like last night."

Luna looked at them oddly. "What happened last night? I didn't give anyone a lap dance, did I?"

Chelsea snorted before standing up while finishing off her cup of Joe. "I'm going to go raid your closet and then wash up. Mase, I think I've got some of your clothes in my car. Meanwhile, you explain to Miss Luna over there what went down." Chelsea held her hands lazily in a peace sign before disappearing into Luna's bedroom.

Mason ran a hand through his hair, peeling his eyes from the television. "Uh, you went up to the bar to get another drink and you didn't come back. So Chels and I went back out to the floor and saw you and some guy practically going at it. And the first song after Blacklights went off and Chels and the guy she was dancing with said the two of you were making out and then you ditched him."

Luna's jaw dropped and she smacked herself in the face. "Damn, I'm so glad I don't remember that. Out of curiosity, what's all in a Screaming Hooker?"

Mason scratched the bit of scruff on his face. "All I know is that it's mostly Everclear, but Rod – the bartender – mixes some kind of spice into it."

Luna licked her lips and relaxed against the couch. "What do you say we get some completely unhealthy, artery clogging, Mickey D's once Princess gets out the shower?"

Mason chuckled before putting his drink down on the coffee table. "I'm game. But, I think I'm going to go join Princess in the shower," he said, winking as he stood up. "Be a dear and get my clothes from her car?"

Luna shook her head and grabbed the set of keys with the fuzzy pink finger cuffs. "Don't get your love juice everywhere," she called out, half amused and half disgusted at the fact that there was no stopping Mason and Chelsea – especially when it involved hormones.

Mason's laughed echoed before the sound of a slamming door and surprised yelp filled her apartment. She wrinkled her nose in distaste. _I think I'm going to stay outside for at least an hour. I don't need to hear them doing the wild thing_, she thought, letting her apartment door swing shut behind her.

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><p><strong>Was wondering what you think about the story?<strong>

**Too hormonal? Con-crit? Reviews?**

**Lemme know if you want to see the outfit she was wearing. I don't know, some people dig the P-Vore sets :)  
><strong>


	3. Zombies

Luna trudged behind the counter of the Barnes and Nobles. She worked at the Starbucks inside of it, and the bookstore was just always a slow, steady string of customers. It was one of the things she liked about working at a B&N. There were always people there – all different walks – but it never seemed _crowded_. And crowded was the last thing she needed at the moment.

She hadn't gotten nearly enough sleep in the last few weeks. She was a night owl, yes, but going to sleep at five in the morning and waking up two hours later...That was seriously affecting her mind. Just as she was about to get her daily caffeine IV, a very corporate looking man waltzed over an ordered a grande iced caramel macchiato. "That's going to be eight dollars and seventy-three cents," Luna said as Leo, the cute ginger boy she worked with, fixed the man's drink.

The man handed her the money, casting a look outside at the light gray clouds that were expelling a fine mist over Seattle. "Here you go," Leo said, handing the man his drink. The man nodded and left. Leo chuckled, turning his dark blue eyes on her. "That is such a girly drink," he mused, draping an arm around Luna's shoulders.

She laughed and leaned forward against the counter. "Hit me with a cup of black coffee?," she asked, turning her head slightly to give him her puppy dog look.

He rolled his eyes. "Fine, but you realize that's the sixth time you've pulled a favor from me? Your caffeine isn't free, you know," he said, fixing her a cup of coffee.

She winked. "Maybe you should cash in some of those favors," she said, hopping onto the counter and drinking the horrible tasting drink. She gagged. "Hand me that bottle of crème would you?" Leo passed her the container and watched her completely drown her black coffee with it. "Have I told you that you're my favorite ginger in the world?"

Leo snorted, putting the crème back in it's place. "You secretly want me. It's okay. You don't have to mask your desire behind flirting and insults. Ladies tend to fawn over this," he said confidently, gesturing toward his body. His somewhat gangly body was covered by a loose button-up shirt, black slacks, and a green apron with the Starbucks icon on it.

"Oh, _yeah_, who could resist that delicious body of yours?," she teased, downing the rest of her warm drink before licking her lips and crushing the cup. "Five bucks says I ring the trash can."

He nodded, convinced she couldn't do it.

She rolled her eyes, angled her body in the direction she was aiming, and let the crushed cup fly straight into the bin. "Fork over the cash, kid," she said, holding out her palm.

Leo placed a crumpled five dollar bill in her hand and mock glared. "You better be glad you're an awesome wing-man."

"Wing-_woman_," Luna corrected, pocketing the bill.

The little bell chimed and she and Leo turned their attention toward the latest person to walk into the bookstore. Luna hopped off the counter and analyzed the woman. Leo leaned against the counter and did the same. "I say model," Leo commented.

Luna shook her head. "She's too short to be a model. A celebrity, maybe?"

The woman was short, pale, but undeniably gorgeous. She wore a pair of tight fitting jeans in a dark blue color, a pair of calf-length black heels, and an ivory sweater that fit loosely around the upper half of her torso before clinging tightly to her waist. She took off the sunglasses and looked around the book store before her eyes landed on Luna. "Are you Luna Sullivan?," the woman asked, her voice a very musical chirp.

Luna's dark eyebrows disappeared into her hair. "Yep, and you would be...?"

The woman stuck out her hand. "You may call me Alice Cullen."

"Well, _Alice Cullen_," Luna stated, standing straight and gingerly shaking the woman's hand. "what can I do for you?"

For a moment, Alice said absolutely nothing. She felt guilty about this since Bella was her sister and they were so close. "You can attend the engagement party my family is throwing for a friend," Alice said finally, taking a small, pale blue envelope from her purse.

"Uh, thanks, lady, but I don't know you," Luna said, her eyes looking at the envelope as if she thought it held anthrax, or perhaps was rigged to explode as soon as her fingers touched it.

Stifling a sigh, Alice slid the invitation across the counter. "No, but you _do_ know my brother. At least, I assume so. He mentioned you a few weeks ago."

Luna racked her brain. "What's he look like?"

"Oh, that's sad, Luna," Leo said, shaking his head in mock disappointment.

She smacked him, turning her attention back to Alice. "Well?"

"Pale, amber eyes, messy bronze hair? He said you two met at a club." Alice prided herself on her lying skills. Edward hadn't said a word to her about the girl except _singer_, and he hadn't actually said that. He'd written it. Hell, Edward didn't even have a clue as to what she was doing at the moment. Really and truly, neither did Alice. But she figured it would all play out...eventually. "His name is Edward," she added, seeing that Luna was still confused.

Luna's eyes widened before her face erupted in flames. "Er, thanks, Alice."

Alice nodded and slipped the shades back on her face before turning around. "You're allowed to bring one guest," she called over her shoulder, exiting the bookstore.

"Whose Edward?" Leo asked, switched into protective brother mode.

Luna grinned up at one the boy. He was her other best friend, the one that kept her grounded whenever she got through hanging around Chelsea and Mason. It was his normalcy that made Luna feel like she was back in those days where she went to high school and her dad was worried about promotions and whatnot. Now, her Dad was two steps from being CEO of one of the most powerful media corporations, and he was rakin' in the dough. "Don't you worry your pretty little head over it, good lookin'," she said.

Leo quirked an eyebrow before picking up the invitation. "By the way, you're taking me to this little shin-dig."

X

"I can't believe that Sam and Em agreed to let _Alice _of all people throw them an engagement party," Jacob Black said as he took a seat on the couch at the Cullens' place. It was still blowing his mind that Sam had agreed. Sam wasn't exactly friends with the bloodsuckers, even if they _had _come to an agreement when those Italian leeches came to "check" on Bella and the others.

He shook his head, recalling the fight that almost ensued because they wanted to collect Edward, Bella, Alice, and Jasper.

"Believe it," Bella told him, "Alice can be very persuasive when it comes to getting her way."

Jacob snorted. "Relentless, you mean. I'm still convinced that Emily seduced Sam into letting the psychic le- I mean, _Alice_ doing it."

Bella laughed, and turned to him. "It's about time though, don't you think? They've been engaged for almost two years now and still haven't thrown a party."

Jacob didn't comment, and turned his attention back to the television. It still hurt sometimes to see Bella like she was. Dead but somehow still walking around. He couldn't get over how odd it that she didn't fidget anymore when she wasn't doing anything. She was just still. Not breathing; not blinking; not moving, just seeing and listening and watching. "I just realized," he blurted, earning Bella's, Emmett's, and Blondie's eyes on him. He chuckled. "you guys are zombies."

"Excuse me?" Blondie asked, affronted.

He nodded his head, but didn't explain his line of thought or why he found it funny. The front door opened and Tinkerbell came waltzing into the room looking very accomplished. "Where is Edward?," she asked.

"On his way back from hunting," Jasper mused, automatically at her side.

Alice smiled up at him, but didn't let anyone in one what had her so cheery. Bella went to speak, and Alice's face fell before she started humming a tune, dragging Jasper up the stairs. In her head, she made quick work of repeatedly translating her favorite songs from English to Latin to French and back again.

She just had to keep this up until Saturday night and then, _boom_, the games would begin.

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><p><strong>Thanks for the reviews Lovewarorwhatever and xXMisunderstood.16Xx :)<strong>

**So, readers, pretty please lemme know what you think?**


	4. A Friend of Alice

"I can't believe you didn't invite me!"

Chelsea stood wide eyed at the doorway to Luna's bedroom. She stalked into the room, wrenching her dark haired best friend from the closet and spinning her around. "I can tell you're upset," Luna said slowly, lightly, and earned a smile from the green eyed girl.

Chelsea sighed. "Okay, okay, so take Leo. You guys don't hang out that often anyway. But I _will_ be picking out your outfit."

Luna snorted. "Oh, _no_, you will not. I'm only going because it's an opportunity to party."

Chelsea snorted. "It's an engagement party. Not a lot of fun, believe you me. You're going because you want to see lover boy again, aren't you?"

"What? No! Pfft, that's just ridiculous." Luna kept her eyes on the closet, walking back toward it to shift through her shirts, blouses, and dresses. What was she going to wear? If she over did it, it would be obvious. But she wasn't going to turn up in sweats, either. After all, she had a reputation to protect.

Chelsea brushed by her to grab a dark purple dress and a jean jacket that would stop just under Luna's chest. "Wear these with some boots -" Chelsea sifted through the mounds of shoes on the floor of her best friend's closet.

Luna rolled her eyes, laying back on her bed and just letting Chelsea pick out her outfit. After all, the girl was ruthless.

It was about six o'clock when they finally arrived in Forks. Leo had stopped twice for directions, and she almost made him stop a third time, because she was almost positive they were lost. Neither of them had been to Forks before, and it was obvious the directions Alice had given them were confusing.

Before Leo had actually started to pull over and wait for someone to come by, he saw the glow of light bulbs lining trees. He turned his blue eyes on Luna, raising an eyebrow. She simply shrugged and let her legs stretch out. Chelsea had forced her to wear a pair of slouchy, brown faux leather boots. They looked great on her, really, but she'd much rather be barefoot.

It was six forty-five when Leo turned the shiny, dark green Dodge Challenger onto the small trail that headed further into a patch of trees. It wasn't long before a big, white house came into view. There were at least twenty cars parked in the yard and in the drive. To say it was a house felt like a bit of an understatement to her. It was more like a small mansion. And there lots of windows, giving her and Leo a perfectly look into the house.

"Any of those folks look familiar?," Leo asked, shifting closer to Luna as more people pulled up.

She shook her head, linking her arm with Leo's. "None," she mumbled, casting her stormy grey eyes to the sky. The skies were the exact same color as her eyes, but she could see the the clouds were beginning to thin to let the sun's rays become a little visible as it dipped below the horizon.

The sun's light had disappeared by the time the two of them got the nerve to go inside. Luna tightened her arm around Leo's as he walked toward the front door of the house. As if she knew they were there, Alice threw open the front door. "Luna!," she exclaimed, throwing her slender arms around Luna's waist in a familiar hug.

"Hey, Alice," Luna said, shifting closer to Leo. She didn't know Alice at all, so she was a little taken aback at how friendly the girl was being.

Alice beamed, ushering the two of them inside. "Whose this?"

Leo looked positively smitten with Alice. He gave her a small smile. "Leo," he said.

"Well, Leo," Alice said, slyly pulling Leo away from Luna, "why don't you come meet some friends of mine? Luna, go mingle?"

Luna gaped as the little pixie walked off with her friend. _I am going to murder Tinkerbell, _Luna thought darkly, inching toward the wall so she could just become invisible. And then she remembered the pale green envelope in your right hand. It was something simple because she didn't know the couple that got engaged – a card with a fifty dollar bill inside. Everybody could use money, so it was what she gave people she didn't know when she was thrust into a party.

She looked around, trying to pick out the lucky couple. It was useless. There were too many people there – most of which had russet skin. _Somebody come rescue me from the awkwardness_, she thought desperately, pressing herself closer to the wall.

X

He knew something was up. Whenever Alice started translating things, it mean she was hiding something. Bella was immortal now, so he didn't worry too much over it. Besides, if it involved the family, Alice would tell him.

With that reassuring thought in his mind, he descended the stairs to where Sam Uley and Emily Young stood, looking incredibly happy. They were going to announce that their wedding was happening in two months – because they were tired of waiting.

Edward smiled at them, "Enjoying yourself so far?," he questioned, simply for appearances. He could easily read their minds and tell that they'd rather be dancing than greeting people.

Emily grimaced. "Kind of. We haven't had much time to dance or anything though," she said, casting a look to her fiance.

Sam absently wrapped his arms around her – both to comfort her and so that he could make sure that none of the vampires would try to eat her. Edward wanted to laugh at the thought, but thought against it. "Go," he told them with a small nod, "it's your party, after all. Have fun. Live a little." He had added the last bit of advice with a smirk – knowing that it was

Sam chuckled at the vampire's humor and spun his wife onto the makeshift dance floor. Edward smiled a bit and leaned against the wall. Bella came gliding toward him, looking every bit as beautiful as she'd been an hour ago when they'd been together in their house, and she looked just as calm as he knew she wasn't. Bella may have been the one wanting peace between the Cullens and the wolves, but now that she was a vampire, she caught the looks some of the wolves gave her.

Edward wrapped his arms around her, letting his cheek rest against the top of her head. "What are you thinking?," he wondered.

"I have my shield down," she mused quietly, looking up at him. She had a look on her face, then, that meant if she could still blush, she would be. "Sorry, no I didn't. I'm still working on that."

He smiled, her thoughts flooding into his brain. She was worried that something would go wrong. Or perhaps someone would get cut and she'd kill them. He opened his mouth to calm her fears when Alice breezed passed him, her thoughts in a dizzying tangle. He could only make out bits and pieces: _surprise guest,_ _can't believe I pulled it off_, and _I hope he doesn't kill me_.

He didn't have a chance to think about what it might mean. The door opened and, though he couldn't see who it was, he could recognize that sweet yet earthy scent anywhere. His arms tightened around his wife. "Bella, why don't you make sure the wolves don't eat all of the food before the toasts?," he suggested.

She smiled, craned her neck to peck his jaw, and walked at a normal, human pace to the kitchen. Edward's eyes trained on Luna's uncomfortable expression as he moved to see her. She was arm-in-arm with some redhead boy. He bit back a hiss and pretended to be watching the couple's dance.

Alice charmed the redhead and led him away, leaving Luna to lean against the wall. She licked her full, rose petal red lips and scanned the room very briefly before turning her eyes to the floor. He swallowed hard on the sudden rock in his throat and made his way to her, having heard her desperate internal plea.

When he stopped in front of her, her eyes slowly moved up to lock with his. Her lips parted in obvious shock before she laughed. "You, uh, look different than the last time I saw you," she said, finally being able to remember what had happened.

He smiled and made sure to keep a track on Bella's thoughts to make sure she wasn't aware of what was happening. "I look the same," he commented, "just not covered in fluorescent paint."

Luna's lips curved into a slow smirk, her thoughts going back to the kiss they'd shared. She might have been a little drunk, but she could appreciate a good kisser when she met one. She cleared her throat and Edward gave her a crooked smile, knowing full well where her mind lay. "Where do I put this?," she asked, holding up a pale green envelope.

He inclined his head to the table with presents. "How have you been?," he asked.

Luna handed him the envelope, not feeling up to actually walking to the table that was next to a large group of men. She shrugged her shoulders. "All right, I guess. Tired." As if to prove her point, she smacked a hand over her mouth and yawned.

Edward fought to find something to say. Had he been this incoherent as a human? This awkward? He let his eyes take her in. She looked better in regular light and sober. Her pitch black tresses cascaded down to the middle of her back and seemed to shine like the midnight sky on a cloudless night. Her ivory skin looked smooth and he found himself wanting to touch her – just once to caress her warm body.

She gnawed on her lower lip nervously, her grey eyes darker than when he'd seen her last. They were curious, confused, but most importantly, he saw his longing mirrored her eyes. And then, the most inopportune time, Bella came up to him – completely unaware of the intimate moment she'd interrupted.

Luna's eyebrows knitted together for a split second, trying to work out the relationship that he and Bella had. Edward averted his eyes when she'd figured it out, but Luna simply laughed. "Hi," she said, extending her hand to Bella, "I'm Luna – a friend of Alice's."

Bella didn't notice how Luna cut her eyes to him for a brief moment. She smiled at the dark haired girl and shook hand with her. "Bella. He's been nice to you, right? He can come off as a jerk sometimes."

Luna gave Bella a smile that to anyone else seemed kind, genuine, but to Edward looked a little devilish and secretive. "He's been a real gem, Bella. I have to say though," she said, shoving her hands into the pockets of her jean jacket as she rocked on her heels, "you seem way out of his league. I mean, you're a real jaw dropper."

Bella giggled and Luna laughed, too. A different laugh. A sarcastic laugh. "Thanks," Bella said, beaming at the girl.

Luna smiled just as brightly back and inclined her head to the two of them. "If you guys don't mind, I'm gonna go find my date. Nice meeting you both." Luna turned on her heel and disappeared into the kitchen – the complete opposite direction from where the redhead was. But she knew that. Edward knew she knew that. Just like he knew that she was only getting started with making the night uncomfortable for him.

He supposed he deserved it. True, it had only been a kiss that took place a while ago, but there were things in that kiss that meant more to him than a hundred from his wife. And he felt like shit. And Luna knew it.

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><p><strong>Thanks to xXMisunderstood.16Xx for the review :)<strong>

**Thanks to the folks who added this story to their alerts, fave, etc.**

**Y'all make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside XD**


	5. Fire

Luna was sure this was going to work. She just had to bide her time. It was petty, really, when she thought about it for more than two seconds. So what if he had a girlfriend? It was just a kiss. And kisses meant nothing. When she thought about it, Luna realized it was more about the fact that if _she_ could lure away someone as gorgeous as _Edward_ from someone as gorgeous as _Bella_. . . Well, hell, it meant that she was the bomb.

She looked over and smiled at Edward. Last night, at the party, she'd given her cell number 'cause it was obvious he wasn't going to let her go unless he could apologize for something that was unimportant. She'd played her hand well and got him to give her an apology in person. Face-to-face. At her apartment. And now he was staring at her as if he were tipsy.

"So, why didn't you mention you had a girlfriend at the club?," Luna asked him, her fingers resting on his arm.

He gave her a crooked smile, and gave her a look through heavy-lidded eyes. "Didn't seem important at the time," he said. He cleared his throw, furrowing his eyebrows as if he were trying to concentrate on something. "Besides you're different than my wife."

Luna's eyebrows disappeared into her hair as she stood up. "_Wife_? You're wasted, aren't you? Ain't no way you're married! You're, what, _seventeen_?"

"No! I've been graduated for almost three years, thank you very much," Edward said, standing up. He swayed a bit before laughing. "Like you care," he whispered, trapping her against the wall with his hands on either side of her head. "We both know you didn't want me here so I could _apologize_. Let's be honest; I didn't come here to apologize."

"Get the fuck out of my apartment, Edward. Okay? Apology accepted. The kiss shouldn't have happened. You can go back to your _wife_ in Forks and be all unknown to me again. Okay?" Luna spoke slowly, as if he were some kind of lion that she was attempting to tame. Had he smoked something before he came to her?

She trained her gray eyes with his dark honey ones. He seemed sober now compared to a minute ago on the couch. He seemed very in control of his actions. In fact, he seemed like he was shocked that he had her pinned to the wall. "Sorry," he mumbled, going back to his old, calm and composed self.

Luna gave him a bewildered expression. "What is _wrong_ with you?," she questioned, taking a step toward him as he took a step back.

"I don't know, Luna," Edward said, looking away from her. "I'm with Bella," he said slowly as Luna came to a stop in front of him.

"I know, which is why I'm confused as fuck," Luna mumbled. "It was just a kiss, right? No big deal." She paused before smirking. "You know, I should find some way to punish you for not mentioning it to begin with. If I remember right, you were more than a little..._happy_ when you were dancing with me. I wonder what would have happened if I'd kept dancing with you; brought you back to the VIP room?"

Edward looked like he was beating himself up real bad. Luna backed away from him. "Can we be friends?," he asked.

Luna pretended to think about it, her delicate fingers tapping on her chin as she looked up at the ceiling with great interest. She looked at him from the corner of her eye, watching his hesitant expression with an amused smile. She extended her hand, "I'm Luna Sullivan."

"Edward Cullen," he said, taking her hand and turning it so that he could press his cool lips to her knuckles.

Luna blushed, quirking an eyebrow at him as she took back her hand. "Right. Little FYI, friends don't kiss other friends' hands," she said, opening the door to her apartment.

He smiled. "I do," he said, walking up the tiny hallway that led to the front door. He stopped beside Luna.

"Don't I feel special," Luna muttered sarcastically.

He laughed and went to step out the door when she moved her hair over her shoulders and her scent stirred in the air. For a moment, he'd stupidly thought he was getting used to it – or, at the very least, able to put it to the back of his mind. He swallowed hard, his hand finding Luna's before slamming the door closed and shoving her against it – his lips at her neck. "You know," he found himself saying breathlessly, his lips brushing against her soft skin. "I change my mind. I don't want to be friends."

Luna was shocked. Appalled. Repulsed...turned on. "What, why?," she asked, her hands pushing against his rock hard chest in a lame attempt at pushing him off of her. His tongue flicked across her collarbone and she shivered.

"I don't think it's going to be enough," he said, his eyes on her. They were different now. Black as night and predatory. "I find it difficult to be around you and not want to taste you."

Her eyes widened, not exactly sure what way he meant that. But either way, her stomach muscles tightened in response. "Then why don't you?," she asked, her heart hammering in her ribcage.

Edward chuckled and his hands cupped her ass, pulling her off the ground. She wrapped her legs around his waist. "Because it wouldn't be very pleasant for you," he whispered against her lips.

Luna locked her hands behind his neck before pulling his face to hers. Her lips moved against his like they'd rehearsed it. It wasn't awkward like when she'd kissed guys before. It wasn't the least bit uncomfortable. His tongue toyed with hers, his teeth grazing her lip as he pressed them closer to the wall so his hands were free to caress her soft, warm skin.

Edward nearly lost it when Luna's soft moan hit his ears. When she pulled away, her gray eyes were dancing with excitement. "I don't know. I think I might like it," she whispered, her voice shaking.

He froze, letting her feet hit the floor as he backed away, running his hands over his face. "No," he said, hoping he sounded as sure as he felt. It was like that time in Bella's room when he'd nearly lost control.

But this wasn't Bella. No, Bella had said "okay" and let him cool off. Luna didn't. Luna couldn't. Luna was like fire. She was going to pull him in and devour him until there was nothing left. She was going to set him ablaze. He could see it in the way she walked toward him, in the way that her hands gripped his shirt and ripped it open – sending the black buttons flying to the floor.

She did this to him – even if though it was only the second time he'd been in physical contact with her. She made him feel normal. Like he was nothing but some hormone crazed human man with nothing more to worry about than the next time he was getting out of the house instead of a hundred something year old vampire that was constantly worried when the Volturi would kill his adoptive family.

Luna's lips trailed a line of heat down his chest and stomach, her hands caressing the bulge in his pants he had for her. He trembled. He was weak and helpless. Ridiculous that such a fragile little thing could have such an effect on him. She stood, her lips attaching themselves to his as her hands unzipped his pants and disappeared inside his boxers to rub against his throbbing member.

Edward's eyes rolled back and he broke their kiss, his head dropping back as he bit back the hiss of pleasure that tried to weasel it's way from him. He grabbed her hand and pulled it away from him, his darker half telling him to let the human please him, and then drink her dry..but his better half – the half he wasn't afraid of said he was wrong. That he was going to burn in the deepest rings of Hell.

Bella had almost convinced him he had a soul, but what he was doing...to Luna, to Bella. But God, Luna was so good. So normal. So wild and free. So _passionate_. Bella didn't have a passionate bone in her body. She was dull, plain – even as a vampire.

Luna's eyes locked on his. "Okay," she mumbled. "I get it. You don't want to cheat on your wife. I get it. Sorry. I just...I don't know." She looked to the floor and muttered to herself about how stupid she was. How hypocritical she was. How she was slut.

"I don't want to cheat on my wife," Edward said, zipping his pants back up and fixing the buckle of his belt. "But I don't think I could stay away from you even I wanted to."

"Good," Luna said, her gaze snapping back to him, "because I wouldn't let you even if you tried."

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><p><strong>Thanks for the reviews dulcesiita and Edrose :)<strong>

**I know this was supposed to be Luna figuratively whoopin' Edward's behind _but_ I wanted to write in some smut before**

**I royally freaked their almost relationship up :) Forgive me?**

**Reviews so I can know what you think?**


	6. Downplaying the Miserable

Friends with Edward Cullen was harder than Luna Sullivan cared to admit. It wasn't every day she wanted to fuck her friends stupid, but she simply restrained herself. She'd only seen him twice since the day at her apartment and it had been all of two and a half weeks since he asked her to be his _friend_. Luna wanted to scoff at the word as she clocked out and headed to her green Dodge Challenger.

Leo had another date with his mystery woman. As much as it irked Luna that he wouldn't tell her who the lucky lady was, but he _did_ divulge that he'd met her at the party. She wondered if it was Alice, and then shook her head. That was a stupid thought. As smitten as Leo had been with Tinkerbell, she wasn't his type. Leo liked a woman that wasn't afraid to hit him and hand him his _huevos_ on a silver platter.

He was a bit of a masochist, really, but Luna wouldn't judge him. Everybody had their quirks. Her cell rang as soon as she got in the car, and she punched the SEND button with the pad of her thumb. "Hey, Chels," she greeted, remembering that the redheaded girl had set her ring tone to Nelly Furtardo's "Promiscuous Girl".

"Hey, listen, I'm bored as hell. Mase is God knows where, doing God knows what with God knows who, and I need somebody to entertain me," she whined. By 'what', Luna knew she didn't mean sex. Mason wasn't stupid. He and Chelsea were outrageous flirts, but at the end of the day, they'd never step out on each other.

Luna laughed. "Sure, what do you want to do?"

Chelsea made a 'uhmmm' noise while she thought about it. Luna cranked up her car, backed out of the parking space, and pulled onto the road. "Oh! We can paint your living room and kitchen because, quite frankly, _white_ is to plain for you. Oh, how about blue? That's such a nice color."

"For a living room? How about no."

"Oh, come on! Just one wall?"

Luna rolled her eyes, "Fine. Meet me at the Home Depot on North Aurora Avenue, all right?"

Chelsea laughed. "I love you, Looooooona." And the line went dead.

As she was slowing the car to a stop because of the red light, her phone buzzed in her hand, belting out one of the default ringers. "Hello," she greeted neutrally. Once before, she'd made the mistake of answering with something crazy, only to have it be her literature professor telling her that she was assigned to tutor Christian Wilkes over Maya Angelou and her works. That was embarrassing and definitely ruined her professionalism with her professor.

"I'm in Seattle. Come meet me somewhere." It was Edward. Bossing her around.

She scowled and then stopped, remembering that he couldn't see her. "No. You meet _me_ at the Home Depot on North Aurora Avenue, all right?," and she hung up.

Who did he think he was bossing her around like that? Luna didn't take kindly to orders. When the light turned green, she hit the gas with a little more force than she'd intended and nearly rear ended the dusty pick up in front of her. It didn't take long – about ten minutes – to get to the Home Depot from where she worked.

She parked beside a big, black soccer-mom van and the cut the engine, stepping out of her car. She walked inside and toward the paint when she saw a head of wavy red hair. The girl in the purple tank top turned around and grinned. "I found the perfect color!," she shouted, running up to Luna.

Chelsea handed her the piece of colored card stock and Luna quirked an eyebrow. "Steel blue?"

"Oh, hush. It's a pretty color and it goes good with your furniture. Now, am I buying the paint or the supplies?"

Luna opened her mouth to respond when she heard a musical voice come from behind her. "Luna?" It was Edward Cullen. He came up beside her and Chelsea, looking out of place in the big hardware store. His bronze hair looked especially untamed today, and his eyes were a bright gold. He wore a black short sleeve cotton shirt with a v-neck, and a pair of slightly baggy jeans with boots.

Luna nodded appreciatively. "I see you aren't dressing like you stepped out of an issue of Rich Boy Weekly," she commented as Chelsea led them to the paint supplies.

He narrowed his eyes. "I do _not_ dress like a rich boy."

She laughed sarcastically. "Italian loafers? Black slacks? Button down and a blazer? Okay, sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night." She and Chelsea grabbed a few buckets of paint and brought it to the counter where a man poured a steel blue liquid inside the cans, and then proceeded to stick the cans in a weird machine that shook them all around.

Chelsea, who finally noticed Edward's presence, smiled. "Hey, you're the kid from the club, right?"

Luna laughed at the face he made when Chelsea called him a kid, and nodded her head. "Yep. Chelsea, this is Edward Cullen. Edward, this is Chelsea Kane."

"Pleasure is all yours, I'm sure," Chelsea said confidently, leaning against the counter.

"He's going to help us paint," Luna said.

At the same time he'd said, "I am?", Chelsea asked, "He is?"

Luna nodded, an affirmative to both of their questions. "Let's go find some plastic to lay on the floor, and some other crap."

Chelsea nodded. "I'll go find some nice-but-useless stuff to decorate your living room with after we paint it." She disappeared and Luna smiled up at Edward.

"If it makes you feel any better," Luna said, grabbing a few paint rollers from the rack, "I think you look handsome in jeans and tee shirts. Get to see more of those yummy biceps."

Edward chuckled, grabbing a few pans. "I'm glad you find my biceps 'yummy'."

Luna laughed. "You know what I meant, stupid." She looked around and then sighed, "I'm bored now."

"I can think of a few things to occupy your time," Edward said, a flirtatious lilt in his already musical voice.

She snorted. "Slow your roll, hot stuff. Friends, remember? I swear you're bipolar." She paused before grinning. "Hey, turn around and stand still, please?"

"What, why?"

Luna gave him a droll stare. "Because I asked you to?," she offered. He laughed but complied nonetheless. Luna backed up before running straight at him and hopping onto his back and wrapping her arms loosely around his neck. "All right. Giddy up, horsey," she said, locking her legs around his waist and switching the pack of paint rollers to her left hand so she could pop him on the ass with her right hand. _Talk about buns of steel_, she thought, and then laughed.

"What's funny?," he asked, walking out of the paint aisle and looking down the other ones for a redhead in a purple shirt and black shorts.

She shook her head, relaxing as much as she could on his back without falling on her ass. "Just thought something funny is all?"

"Care to share with the class, Miss Sullivan?," he asked.

She propped her chin on his shoulder. "Not really," she said. "Say, why are you in Seattle anyway?"

"I thought it was obvious," he retorted.

Luna thumped his ear before securing her arms again. "Don't be rude. I have a hard time catching the obvious."

"Tell me something about yourself," he said suddenly, completely switching topics. Luna hated it when people switched topics like that.

But she answered the question. "My name is Luna Katarina Sullivan and I'm eighteen years old. I'm a Gemini, born to Katherine Sofia Sapienti and David Eoin Sullivan. My favorite color is amber and I am a proud addict of Peace Teas and Twizzlers. I cuss more than I should, have a knack for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, and my favorite hobby is either finger painting or playing with Play Dough. And what about you, Edward?"

"My name is Edward Anthony Mason Cullen and I'm a Gemini, adopted by Carlisle and Esme Cullen. My favorite color is black and I play the piano and am addicted to fast cars. I have a talent for reading people and I will admit to being somewhat of a masochist." Edward waited to hear her response.

"Wow, really? I pegged you more as a Virgo or Cancer. You know, quiet and brooding and whatnot." Edward laughed loudly and Luna slipped from his back, but Luna carried on. "I've noticed something about you. You don't let loose enough. That's why you're so tense all the time. You should come out partying with Chelsea, Mason, and I. You can even bring your family...even Bella."

"Why don't I just get loose at your place? That'd be much more fun," he said, attempting to relax.

Luna laughed but it sounded strained. "You know what, I really don't think that's a good idea."

Chelsea decided to join them then, pushing an orange buggy with cans of paint, tarp, and some mirrors and other decorations. Luna grabbed the pans from his hands and tossed them into the buggy, along with her paint rollers. She didn't look at him as the three of them strolled toward the check out, or when they loaded the back seat of her car up with the supplies. Or when they got to her apartment and moved everything out of the way.

Or when the west wall of the living room had been painted steel blue. Or when Chelsea left because Mason wanted to go have coffee.

Edward through the roller to the pan, sending splashes of steel blue paint splattering across the tarp and on Luna's legs. When he asked what was wrong with her, she simply shrugged her shoulders and focused on finishing up the second coat of paint.

A tic worked in his jaw and he did the only thing he knew might get her attention. He dipped his fingers into the paint and, with his paint-free hand, tapped her on the shoulder. When she turned around, he wiped the paint across her face.

At first, she looked like she might explode. Then, she let out a strangled sound that might have been a cross between a laugh and a grunt. Finally, she splayed both of her hands into the pan and smeared them across his arms, shirt, and neck.

And then she laughed. A loud, happy, utterly ridiculous sounding laugh. He smiled down at her, attempting to wipe the splotches of paint from his face and only succeeding in smearing them. "Feel better now?," he asked.

Luna nodded her head slowly. "Um, that looks kind of incriminating," she said, gesturing toward the dragging hand prints on his shirt. "Here, I'll fix that. You might want to cover your face."

So he did, and felt a thick lot of paint being thrown at him. He uncovered his face to find a giant blob of steel blue covering the hand prints. She laughed, turning around to smack the lid back down on the can of paint. He took the opportunity to smack her ass, leaving a blue hand print on the back of her shorts. He laughed. "I quite like my artwork," he mused.

"I'm sure you do," Luna said sardonically, heading over to her fridge and pulling out a bottle of water. She chugged it and then turned to him. "Want some?," she asked.

He shook his head. He'd already fed and besides, water held no appeal. He cleared his throat and pulled his phone from his pocket, checking the time. It was almost five. "I've got to go, but it was nice. Spending time with you, I mean."

"Yeah, yeah."

He grimaced. "Don't do that."

"Do what exactly?"

He came into the kitchen and leaned against the counter. "Don't downplay everything I say. I meant it. I like spending time with you. Is that so hard to believe?"

Luna gave him a small, sad smile. "No offense to you or anything, Edward, but I don't believe for a second you actually like spending time with me. If you want to the truth, I think you're just biding your time until you can stop feeling guilty and then, once you get what you want - what we both want, actually, you're going to up and leave, and go back to your happy family." Luna couldn't help the bitterness in her words.

"My family is anything but happy, Luna," he admitted. And it was true. Most of them were miserable people. Rosalie hated what she was more than anything, and even though she was happy with Emmett, she still wished that Royce wouldn't have done what he done, and that she could have lived a happy, normal life.

Emmett found joy in small things, and picking fights, but that was only because he didn't know what else to do. He was bored with eternity and filled it with things that meant nothing to him. The only thing that made eternity a bit more bearable was Rosalie.

Alice and Esme were exceptions. Alice didn't remember anything from her human life and, because she had Jasper, she was happy. Esme only ever wanted a family, and she now had that.

Jasper, on the other hand, would be happy if it weren't for the fact that he was constantly reminded of the monster he was. Constantly having to be guarded to make sure he didn't go on a killing spree in Forks. He also couldn't seem to shake his past – the past that he'd had when Maria had fooled him. When he'd taken those lives, and some of the lives he he'd taken had just been _kids_ – teenagers barely having hit puberty.

Carlisle had longer to get used to the life, but it didn't make it any easier on him. It was why he became a doctor. He figured if he saved enough people, then he could somehow atone for being a soulless demon.

Bella was new to the life – barely a year old as far as her new life was concerned. Her heart still ached for Jacob Black, the shape shifter that routinely visited their house. Bella loved him, sure, but she was scared to death of protecting Charlie and Rene. When she let him in her mind, he always caught the same thoughts: _What's going to happen when they die? I can't go to their funerals because I won't look any older. Mom doesn't even know I'm not human._ Though he knew that Bella loved him, he also knew that she was having second thoughts too little, too late.

And then there was him. He was self-loathing. He had no soul. He was damned to Hell, or wherever it was that monsters like him went when they died. He'd lost both of his parents – his _real_ parents. Even though it was hard to remember them sometimes, he still loved them. Carlisle had become like a father figure to him, but he didn't replace the one that he'd already had. And Esme, she was nice enough and had been nothing but warm and loving, but she was nothing on that parts he remembered of his _real_ mother. And it hurt him to see the first woman he'd loved in his new life, still broken over the fact she also loved her enemy. He didn't care that most would call him pitiful and pathetic for feeling like he did, but he couldn't help it. Part of him wished Carlisle would have just left him to die.

It wasn't so painful toward the end – before he'd been turned. In fact, he'd become numb to the pain because he'd been toward the end of it. Right on the clutches of Death, about to follow his mother when she'd asked Carlisle to take care of him.

"You all right?," Luna asked, taking a slow step toward him. "You kind of spaced out and got this really sad look on your face."

"I'm fine, Luna," he said with a small smile.

She remained unconvinced and brought him to the door. "You know, I'm a real good listener, so if you ever want to call me up or stop in because you need someone to vent to, I'm here. And don't worry, unless you'd want me to say something, I wouldn't tell anybody."

"I'll keep that in mind," he mumbled, opening the door.

She nodded her head and held out her arms, wrapping them around Edward's torso. Edward wrapped his arms around her and let his cheek rest against the top of her head. "Thanks for helping paint," she said, yawning.

"Not a problem," he said, stepping out of her arms. He nodded shortly. "See you around."

Luna smiled and watched him disappear down the hall before shutting her door. She locked it and looked around her apartment. She yawned, making a mental note to clean up the mess when she woke the next morning, and headed toward the bathroom.

When she locked the bathroom door behind her, she realized something strange from when she'd hugged Edward.

She hadn't heard a heart beat.

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><p><strong>xXMisunderstood.16Xx, Edrose,and prncsspch915, thanks for your reviews :)<strong>

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**You guys make me feel all warm and tingly inside! So, this chapter's a tinsy bit longer than the others and definitely more, well, I don't know what to call what this is. What do you guys think? Review :)**


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